368 • MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



well ; ' New York, by three of her citizens, separately, says, 

 ' Berkshires and Leicesters ; ' New Jersey answers, ' A cross 

 with the Berkshires;' Pennsylvania says, 'Across of the Berk- 

 shires and Chester County;' Virginia says, 'Irish Grazier and 

 mixed Berkshire are our common stock ; ' Georgia answers, 

 ' The best breeds for the climate are the Woburn and Grazier ; ' 

 Mississippi says, ' The best hogs I have tried are the Berk- 

 shires;' Texas, 'Irish Grazier;' Tennessee says, 'The com- 

 mon old Grazier mixed with the Hindoo breed.' " And, with- 

 out following the language too literally, it may be added, that, 

 while Kentucky is satisfied with the " Woburn" only, her more 

 voracious neighbor, Ohio, must have the " Leicester," "Bed- 

 ford," "Chinese," and the "Calcutta;" and while Missouri takes 

 a cross of the "black Berkshire " and the " white Irish," Flor- 

 ida says, that, " for the range or shift-for-yourself system, the 

 long-nosed Pike stands A No. 1." 



And when it appears, as it does from the same source, that 

 a hundred pounds of corn yield in some cases " but eight pounds 

 of pork," and in others " forty pounds," it would seem that 

 there must be something more than the peculiarities of breed 

 to be taken into the account in explaining these results. Not 

 indeed, let it be distinctly understood, that the accidents of 

 diseased organs, &c, referred to, would account for all thi3 

 variety of opinion, and least of all would we intimate that 

 gentlemen answer the commissioner without suitable reflection; 

 but, great as is the confusion and apparent number of breeds 

 and the mixing up of breeds, there might be found to be less 

 of both, we think, if the "accidents " were fewer, or if we were 

 better able to detect them. 



It is a fair question, and an important one to begin with, 

 What and how many breeds of hogs arc there really distinct? 

 Some are so, clearly ; but the question is not easily deter- 

 mined, and no discussion of it is proposed in this report. The 

 generally received opinion is that the Suffolk is a distinct, 

 original breed. Let it be so considered. Now, is it the best 

 breed for general use in the county of Essex ? It is not, even 

 though it is true that the pork of this breed is much esteemed, 

 and generally commands from one to two cents a pound extra 

 in Boston market. The reason is obvious — they come to 



